Safer Shores(Human Lapidot)

12. Escape

     When everyone was inside, Peridot was greeted by none other than Pearl, who was in the kitchen with a drink. Peridot felt nervous still, like Pearl's words were going to stab her. Hopefully, I won't bleed that much. She thought, trying to joke away the fear. It didn't work.

     "Hello Peridot. Tea?"

     "No thanks." Peridot approached the woman and stopped walking about three feet away from her. "So, am I welcome back here? Are we ok?"

     "Most certainly-" In the moment Pearl began replying, the door in the back of the room opened to reveal Garnet, who gritted her teeth. Peridot caught only a glimpse of her behind Pearl before she was gone from her spot and Peridot and Garnet were by the door. Peridot was slammed to the wall, held up by her shirt collar by a glaring woman. She had a four-fingered ring, with sharp tips at the knuckles. Everybody in the room was shocked.

     "Garnet!" Pearl exclaimed.

     "Oh my God!" Said Amethyst.

     "Garnet, hold on!" Called Steven. He pulled on the woman's shirt and she turned to him. When Peridot tried to grab her hand and pull herself out of her grasp, Garnet quickly tightened her grip. "Everything's fine, her and Pearl are ok now, right Pearl?"

     The pale woman nodded. "Exactly."

     Garnet said nothing, and Lapis had her hand in her pocket, ready to pull something out of it. It's probably her dagger, Peridot thought, please don't stab anyone. Nothing was said in the room, and the woman turned back to Peridot. She could see her eyes, cold and angry behind her dark shades, and began to shake. "Don't do anything to anyone here, do you understand?" Garnet said, her voice emotionless and cold. Peridot nodded frantically. "I don't want to hear about you attacking Pearl, or Amethyst or Steven. Not even Lapis. I'm not into strangers coming here and tearing up the place, all right?" Peridot nodded again.

     "I-I got it. No more violence." A frantic and nervous chuckle escaped from Peridot's lips, and then she was thrown to the ground. Steven, Amethyst, and Lapis rushed to her and Pearl set down her tea to approach. Garnet went outside.

     "Jeez, Garnet, you savage." Amethyst said.

     "I'm pretty sure you're not alright, but I gotta ask anyway." Lapis added.

     "No, no, I'm fine."

     "You are?" Asked Steven.

     "I hope to be, anyway." Peridot stood, and the small crowd around her broke up. Lapis helped her up, but she insisted that she was fine. She was going to get light-headed if Lapis did anything, Peridot was still trying to shake the feeling of her hand pressed against her own. She still felt her soft skin in her hand and-

     Stop thinking about Lapis! Focus, you need Pearl's help to get this house! Peridot shook her thoughts away when she seen Pearl. "So, uh, where was I?" She said to the pale woman.

     "You were asking me if we were fine. I suppose you can continue because I've already answered that." Pearl replied.

     "Right, of course." The girl took a deep breath. "I, um, would like to request help from you, if you don't mind."

     "Ok, what do you need?"

     "Well, you seem like you know Beach City well, and I was wondering if you could possibly, help with a job application?"

     Pearl blinked. "Ok? Is that it?"

     "I-well yes, but-"

     Amethyst started laughing. "Amethyst, stop that." Scolded Pearl.